Six Tips On Medicare Open Enrollment (NAPSA)—There could be good news for older Americans who are not as happy with their Medicare plan as they thought they'd be. They have until March 31, 2019 tofix it. To help, eHealthMedicare outlines six things Medicare enrollees should know about their open enrollmentchoices. 1.Get motivated. Whether you're currently enrolled in a Medicare Advan- tage Plan orare looking to sign up for thefirst time,it’s important to compare yourplan options and make sure your Medicare insurance coverage will still meetyour needsfor 2019. 2. Take control of change. Every year, insurers make changes to plan details. Your currentplan maybe changing your out-of-pocket costs, the doctors you can see, or your covered drugs. You have this opportunity to take con- trol of these changes by shopping your options to ensure you end up with the best plan for your needs. 3. Makesure yourpreferred doctors are covered. Check that the doctors, clinics, pharmaciesand hospitals you wantto use are still covered under your current plan,or any new plan you mayconsider. ‘You can find doctor network information when shoppingonline, butit wise to call your doctor to confirm his or her networkstatus before enrolling. 4,See that yourprescription drugs are covered. Will your currentplan still cover the drugs you need? Onlinetools can help you see which plans include your drugs on their formulary at the lowest out-of-pocket cost. People using the drug coverage comparison tool at It’s a healthy idea to review your Medicare pla example, found an average of $611 per yearin potential savings. 5. Compare services amongplans. Online Medicare marketplaces offer easy-to-use comparison tools and plan recommendations. In an instant, you can compare plans side byside to review theprice and benefits offered, including preferred pharmacies and mail-order prescription discounts, dental, vision, hearingandfitness benefits. Someplans offer benefits and perks that others do not, butlittle differences can make all the difference whenit comesto yoursatisfaction with your coverage. 6. Getpersonal help when you need it, shop online when you don’t. Beyond online comparison tools and plan rec- ommendations, full-service Medicare marketplaces offer you a phone number to talk with a licensed agent for more personalized help when you needit. Also look for a Better Business Bureau accreditation seal and check that the company running the website is offi- cially approved bythe Centers for Mediwww.eHealthMedicare.com last year, for care & Medicaid Services (CMS).
